Mate For Life, or Date Til Death
by Ppleater
Summary: Zuko gets a heavy dose of Water tribe philosophy, and decides that dating should never get that complicated. SokkaxSuki/Toph/Yue ZukoxMei


I've been wanting to write an Avatar fanfic lately, and Sokka just happens to be my favorite character. Zuko is, of course, my second favorite, and TADA there's two entire episodes of male bonding between the two. I am such a fan of Sokka and Zuko as friends, so well, here ya go. Sorry it's so short. Zuko gets a heavy dose of Water tribe philosophy.

Disc: I do not own Avatar: Atla, nor the characters. If I did, my name would be Mike and or Bryan. Not only are those not my names, but I am female.

Taste the logic. Spicy, spicy.

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It started out as a simple question. They had become considerably closer since the whole boiling rock thing, and Zuko and Sokka had actually began sparring together. Zuko had thought he would win most, if not all of the time, but though Sokka's style was not as fluid or as refined, he did a remarkably good impression of a monkey. He used his surroundings just as well as his sword, and Zuko found himself hard pressed to get in any hits. He wasn't the kind of fighter who would climb a tree and start cutting down branches to rain down on his opponent, or who would jump from rock to rock, or even do cartwheels to avoid a blow, only to spring back like elastic and strike. He was a pleasant challenge, and though Zuko knew he was more skilled, he wasn't quite as creative, or as Toph had put it after watching once, he wasn't as flexible. And after witnessing Sokka's special 'limbo maneuver' he was inclined to agree. He had decided not to underestimate Sokka anymore if he could help it.

But he was taken utterly off guard when Sokka had asked him the simple question.

"So, how far did you get with your girlfriend, Mei was it?"

Zuko very nearly dropped his swords. "What?!"

"Well, see, I heard this rumor that fire nation people don't have the whole 'don't sleep with a woman till your married thing' like the Earth Kingdom, and they don't 'mate for life' like in the water tribes. So I was wondering how it works."

Zuko gave him an odd look. "You mate for life in the water tribe?"

"Well, it depends. If your spouse dies it's okay to remarry." He tugged on his wolftail absently. "Though, I can't imagine how anyone could choose. I think I might just swear off of girls entirely. Toph and Suki have been going at it lately like a pair of saber toothed mooselions!"

Another odd look. "What?" Sokka scowled, rubbing his nose.

"… Nevermind. Anyways, we don't have those kinds of rules, but we don't exactly sleep around. It's considered a bad thing, and I've… Well I've never…" He very nearly fought down a blush at the thought.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not even allowed until I've chosen a wife. And, well, I'm much more intimidated by the choosing part."

"How many girlfriends do you have?"

Sokka, shuffled sheepishly.

"Well, I wouldn't say girlfriends so much as prospects. Well, At first there was Yue." A sad look crossed over his face "But she's gone now. And then there's Suki, but recently Katara told me that she thinks Toph has a crush on me, and now that I've been told, it's kind of obvious and… Well, Suki's been gone a long time, and Toph was there longer and… Then I kind of feel bad because of Yue, and it all goes around in a big nauseating circle. But if I'm in it for life, then that changes my views. Yue is, well, you know, Suki has her duty as a kyoshi warrior, and well, I dunno if I could keep up with Toph. I'd feel kind of, overshadowed. But I'm used to that with my sister and Aang anyway, and I almost wouldn't mind moving to Kyoshi with Suki, and I've always wanted to find a way to bring Yue back even though I know it should be impossible." He sighed morosely "Just thinking about it makes me dizzy."

Zuko quite agreed. Sokka's dating problems made his dilemma with Mei seem trivial.

"Well, maybe… You should think of yourself, rather than them." He suggested slowly. Sokka gave him his own odd look, which, with his tanned face, and light blue eyes, seemed to penetrate more, and it made Zuko feel distinctly silly.

"But as the man, it's my duty to ensure that my wife, and my family, is happy." He replied, completely confusing Zuko.

"What? But… Well, in the fire nation the man is the most important part of the family, they work to make him happy, because he's the one who runs the household." It was a fact that had been drilled into his head since he was old enough to understand. But Sokka just shook his head.

"In my tribe the women and children are more important, not just because we love them, and they are our family, but they ensure the future of the tribe. They are the healers, and they trust us to protect them, even if they don't need it."

Zuko mulled this over, and decided he liked the water tribes view on this kind of thing much more than his father's. "That's… That's kind of deep… Well, who do you think would appreciate that more?"

Sokka groaned in response, "Neither! They're so independent! Though..."

"What?"

"Well, Toph is always hanging onto my arm whenever she can't see. But Suki refuses help, even if she really needs it. She's too proud. But, ugh, that's endearing! But I like feeling useful! Argh! Is my brain leaking out my ears or something? What's wrong with me!?"

Zuko just shook his head. "You think too much."

Sokka nodded sadly "It's my curse."

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Blah, so yeah, that's it, I'm not in a very good writing muse thingy today, but I wanted to write. Ugh, the plot bunnies have been killed by the acid juices left over by my melting brain. So I just decided to give Sokka one as well.

A melting brain that is.

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End file.
